campbell



NOV. 18!

A. CAMPBELL DUMP CAR Filed Nov. 8; 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 n A A A A A A P H/S ATTURNE Nov. 13, 1924.

A. CAMPBEL DUMP CAR Filed Nov. 8, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm; CAMPBELL By MW A1 TaR/VEY' Nov. 18, 1924.

- A. CAMPBELL DUMP CAR I Filed Nov. 8, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 WVENT R ARG-YLE CAMPBELL BY a H15 ATTO RNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ENTERPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DUMP CAR.

Application filed November 8, 1922. Serial No. 599,632.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARGYLE CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dump Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in dump cars and more particularly to the gencral service type provided with a fiat bottom and adapted to carry bulk material such as coal which may be unloaded by shoveling or dumped through discharge openings in the floor of the car.

One object of my invention is to provide a car having floor dump doors wherein are employed a dooroperating mechanism for elevating and supporting the doors in closed position, which mechanism includes a movable shaft, and novel and simple means on or constituting parts of the doors to rigidify the latter, and which means co-operate with the shaft of the operating mechanism to eliminate warping or distortion of the doors to the end that a plurality of doors will cooperate properly with a single shaft and ,full and simultaneous closure of the doors assured.

Another object of the invention is to provide an opening and closing device for the doors which will consist of few parts and which will support the doors in their open position and will also look and hold said doors in their closed position.

Another specific object of my invention is to provide a car which will be of great strength and light in weight and which will be safe in operation. To this end I have made improvements in construction obviating the necessity of projecting the ends of the operating shafts and the mechanism for operating the same beyond the plane of the car ends. The manner of accomplishing this and other objects of my invention will appear more clearly from the description herein following taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a general service car showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of one corner of the car shown in Figure 1,

to more clearly illustrate the details of the operating mechanism for the shaft. Figure 3 is a broken end View of the structure illustrated in Figure 2. Figure 4: is a broken vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the line H of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a side elevational view, parts being broken away, of a part of the structure illustrated in Figure 1 and illustrating more in detail certain features of the operating mechanism and one of the doors associated therewith. Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view of approximately one-half of the car, the section corresponding substantially to the line 66 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a View corresponding to Figure 1, but showing a lesser part of the car and illustrating my improvements embodied in that type of a car wherein the dump doors extend throughout only a portion of the length, as distinguished from that type of car shown in Figure 1 where the doors extend from end to end. Figure 8 is a vertical detail sectional view corresponding substantially to the section line 88 of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 corresponding to the section line 9-9 of Figure 7 Figure 10 is a top plan view of one of the improved doors employed with my construction, the door being shown detached. Figure 11 is an end elevational view of the door shown in Figure 10. Figure 12 is a front edge elevational view of the door shown in Figure 10. And Figure 13 is a detail perspective of the reinforcing combined brace and hinge member used with the door, shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12.

I have illustrated my improvements embodied in a dump car of the general service type having a trussed side frame.

8, and a floor having discharge openings therein and having floor portions adjacent thereto as at 4 and 5 with protection plates therefor as at 6. The sides of the car are composed of top members 7, lower side sill members 8 connected by means of diagonals 9 and 9 and uprights 10 and by means of gussets 11, 12, and 13. The side sills are connected to the center sills by means of crossbearers 1 1 which are slotted at the outer ends thereof and have slotted brackets 15 secured thereto through which an operating shaft 16 passes and is adapted for translatory movement therein as shown in Figure I have 9 shown the car as having center s1lls 2, ends 6 moving from a position adjacent the free edge of the door designated as b-b to a position under the same designated as 0c. In dump cars of the identified construction, a difficulty hitherto experienced has been found in the door buckling under load as corrosion of the door takes place, thereby wedging the shaft outwardly and forcing it from under the door and also causing the shaft to twist and rendering subsequent operations of the door mechanism difflcult and unreliable.

The improved door construction disclosed in this application overcomes this objection when used with a mechanism of the character referred to, inasmuch as I have constructed a door of great strength and rigidity and one wherein a continuous reinforcement is provided. Referring to Figures 10 to 12 it will be seen that I have provided a door composed of boards 17 and a one-piece supporting brace therefor composed of a member 18, preferably an angle formed in the shape of a U with a transverse portion 18 extending parallel with the front edge of the door and uniting longitudinal beam portions 18 Longitudinal beam portions18 are provided with hin e eyes 18 preferably formed by extending t 1e horizontal flange 18 beyond the vertical flange 18 and bending it over itself as at 18 where the overlapping portions are united by welding. The boards 17 are secured by means of bolts 19 to the brace and beveled washer plates 20 bind the boards together and prevent the bolts from sinking in the wood when the nuts are tightened. These washer plates are beveled in the manner shown and, used in conjunction with button head shaped bolts, provide for a minimum obstruction to shoveling, inasmuch as the transition from the level of the door floor to the level of the washer plate is gradual.

The door is provided near each outer corner thereof with a bracket member 21 having angularly disposed flanges 21 and 21 respectively secured either by welding or riveting to transverse beam portion 18 and longitudinal beam portion 18 The said flanges are connected by a laterally extending flange portion 21 secured to the horizontal flange 18 of the brace. The brackets 21 are each provided with a projecting nose having serrated face 21 adapted to be engaged by serrated roller face 22 formed integral with door raising chain guide 22 which is rigidly mounted on shaft 16 by means of pins or bolts 23 passing through lugs 22. The brackets 21 are each provided with a projecting wing 21 perforated at 21 to receive chain eye bolt 24 to which the door chain 25 is secured. This point of attachment between the door and chain is pref erably located on the exterior of the door supporting framework thereby obviating the necessity of cutting out the door reinforcement topermit the chain to pass therethrough as has heretofore frequently been the case.

The opposite end of each chain 25 is secured to a chain guide 22 by means of pin 26 passing through flanges 22. As shown in Figure 6 in dotted lines, the door is entirely supported in the open position by means of the chains which are made of adequate strength for this purpose. In cars of the general service type, the doors are pivotally mounted on hinge brackets 27 by means of hinge pins 28 which are preferably mounted on the center sill or adjacent thereto.

The door as shown in Figures 10 to 12 is the usual construction employed for small doors being formed with two hinges but in larger doors I prefer to employ an additional hinge disposed intermediately of the usual hinges. This construction is clearly illustrated in Figure 13 wherein the additional beam member is designated by the character 18 and is secured to the transverse beam portion 18 by welding as at 18 and 18 The employment of the additional beam member referred to is of great importance in cars of the type described and wherein is employed an operating mechanism of the character indicated, inasmuch as the doors are thereby practically prevented from warping or distortion, thus assuring that the entire length of the free edge of the door will be in proper position to engage over the shaft when the latter is rolled under the door, this holding true for all of the doors in the series.

Referring now more. particularly to the operating mechanism for the doors, and that embodiment of the invention found in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive. In the embodiment referred to, it will be noted that the operating mechanism proper is located at the end of the car but within the end plane of the car so as to avoid undesirable projections between two adjacent cars of a train. In this modification of the invention, the floor doors extend throughout substantially the entire length of the car and include: doors located between the body bolsters and the ends of the car. Preferably, a shield 46 is employed between each end door and the corresponding adjacent operating mechanism, said shield being attached to the end sill plate L7, thereby protecting the mecha nism from the discharging load. This shield further provides a supporting means for the operating shaft bracket. In order to provide for a wide sweep of the operating lever, the corner of the lower member of the truss is cut away, as clearly shown in Figures l and 2, but this in no way affects the carrying capacity of the side truss inasmuch as the necessary connection between the combined corner post and the end 3, end diagonal member 9 and side sill 8 is effected above the corner.

The specific means disclosed for effecting rotation and movement of the operating shaft comprise the following. Between the shaft and each door are preferably a pair of chains 25, each chain winding on a guide 22 in the spiral guide ways 22 provided for this purpose, the chains being attached to the doors as hereinbefore described.

To prevent the shaft from rotating in a reverse direction, during either the closing operation of the doors or after the doors have been placed in closed position, a locking ratchet wheel 54 is secured to the shaft 16, adjacent its end. Co operable with the ratchet wheel 34 is a count-erweighted looking pawl. 36, the latter being pivotally moui'ited on the bracket 38 by the bolt or other suitable pivotal element 39, said bracket being provided with a suitable boss 38 to accommodate the bolt 39.

(looperable with the locking pawl 36 is a locking cam 37 also pivotally mounted on a base 38 on the bracket 38, by means of a bolt 40. The locking pawl 36 is gravity actuated by forming the lower portion 36 thereof, heavier than that portion 36' which engages the ratchet wheel so that the portion automatically engages with the ratchet wheel 34. To prevent accidental disengagement of the locking pawl 36 from the ratchet wheel 84, I provide the cam 37 with an arcnate surface 37 adapted to engage the surface 36" of the locking pawl, as shown in Figure 8 where the shaft is shown in the supporting position under the door. To release the shaft, the cam 37 is turned counter-cloclnvise and the locking pawl disengaged from the ratchet wheel, said pawl having a tail piece 36 adapted to it within the hook portion 37 of the cam whereby the pawl 36 is held out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 34, as best shown in Figure 4. From the preceding description, it will be seen that the pawl 36 will automatically co-operate with the ratchet wheel 34 during' the entire movement of the shaft from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 8, provided the pawl is not locked by the cam as shown in Figure 4. In this manner, it is evident that there is no possibility of the shaft rotating in the reverse direction during the winding operation. Furthermore, it will be noted that the cam. 37 serves two definite functions, one, a positive locking of the pawl 36 when the shaft is under the doors, and the other, the retaining of the pawl 36 in an inoperative position with respect to the ratchet wheel during opening movement of the mechanism. 7 7

Actual rotation of the shaft 16 in either direction is effected through the ratchet wheel secured thereto and either of the gravity actuated pawls 41 and 42 pivotally mounted on a common pivot 43 on the lever member 44. The latter provided at its inner end with a bearing sleeve 44 which freely mounted on the hub 35 of the ratchet wheel 35. At its outer end, the lever member 44 is provided with an enlarged socket 44" adapted to receive the end of a bar or other suitable operating tool for producing leverage. In this connection, it will be observed from Figure 3, that the shank of the member 44 is adapted to swing to a position in line with the side sill 8 and that the socket 44 is adapted to assume a vertical position as shown in Figure 3, thus allowing of a long stroke and permitting the operator to utilize the side wall of the as a support when pulling outwardly on the bar or other tool inserted in the socket 44". It will further be noted that, although the shaft 16 is, except for a very small portion at its end, concealed behind the side sill S, by my arrangement the pawls and locking dogs, etc., are made readily accessible and always visible.

In the form of my invention shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the operating mechanism proper is the same as that previously described and the details thereof need not again be stated.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention, but the same is by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation. All changes and modifications are contemplated that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

hat I claim is 1. In a dump car the combination with an underframe, of a hinged dump door and a. shaft mounted in said underframe, a brace for the said door having loi'igitudinal members extending from the hinges and a transverse member disposed near the free edge of the door and uniting said longitudinal members, a bracket near each end of said transverse member and secured thereto and to a longitudinal member; said bracket having a wing extending therefrom, a flexible element connected to the said wing and to the shaft and adapted to support the door in the open position.

2. In a dump car, the combination of an under-frame, a drop door hinged thereto, a rotatable shaft operating in a slot for first raising said door and then moving into a position to directly support the door, a ratchet fixed to the shaft, a counterweighted pawl pivoted on the nnderframe and adapted to engage the ratchet during the en tire movement of the shaft in said slot and a safety cam adapted to lock the pawl in engagement with the aforesaid ratchet.

3. In a dump car having hinged dump doors, transversely extending underframe members and side sills disposed below the floor level, the combination with a longitudinally extending and bodily movable shaft passing through said transversely extending underframe members and disposed behind one of the side sills, of means for rotating said shaft so as to effect closing movement of the doors, said means including a ratchet wheel on said shaft, a lever member associated with said ratchet wheel and having a portion thereof extending below the side sill and thereby exposed to view, a plurality of pawls cooper-able with the ratchet wheel, said lever member being formed with a socket portion to receive an operating tool; means for locking the shaft against reverse rotation, said means including another ratchet wheel mounted on the shaft and a pawl having a fixed pivot relatively to the underframe and being adapted to engage the ratchet wheel throughout the range of movement of the said shaft.

4. In a dump car, the combination with a car body having a ladder on the side thereof adjacent one end; of dumping doors provided in the floor of said car body; a rotatable operating shaft disposed below the level of said doors when the latter are in closed position; means for locking said shaft against rotation in an unwinding direction; and means for operating said shaft, said locking means being located behind said ladder and said operating means. being 10- cated adjacent said ladder.

5. In a dump car, the combination with a car body having end walls, side walls, and a ladder on the side thereof, adjacent one of said end walls; of dumping floor doors; a rotatable operating shaft disposed below the level of said doors when the latter are in closed position; means for operating said shaft to effect closure of the doors; and means for locking said shaft against movement in a door opening direction, said locking means being located behind said ladder and said operating means being located adjacent said ladder, said shaft, operating means, and locking means being all disposed entirely within the planes of the car ends.

6. In a dump car, a car body including ends and a trussed side frame, dumping doors disposed in the floor of the said car body, a rotatable operating shaft disposed below the level of the said doors and adapted to support the same, means for locking the shaft against reverse rotation and oscillatably mounted means for operating the shaft; the side truss having a cutaway portion therein whereby the sweep of the shaft operating means may be increased.

7. In a dump car, a sill, a discharging door operating shaft behind said sill and projecting at one end beyond the end of said sill; and an, operating lever mounted on said shaft having a socket portion spaced from the shaft, a portion of said lever being adapted to swing to a position in line with the end of said sill, said lever being located inwardly of the plane of the end wall of the car.

8. In a dump car, a side sill extending beyond the bolster, a bodily movable discharge door operating shaft disposed behind said sill and projecting at one end a short distance beyond said sill, and an op erating lever mounted on said shaft and movable therewith, a portion of said lever being movable to a position in line with the end of said sill.

9. In a dump car, the combination with an underframe; of a drop door hinged thereto, a rotatable and bodily movable shaft for first raising said door and then moving to a position to directly support the door; a ratchet wheel fixed to the shaft, a counter weighted pawl pivoted on the underframe and adapted to engage the ratchet wheel during the entire bodily movement of the shaft; and means for engaging the pawl and retaining the same in an inoperative position with respect to the ratchet wheel.

10. In a dump car having a floor, hinged dump doors forming a portion of the floor, transversely extending underframe members and a side sill disposed below the floor level; the combination with a longitudinally extending and bodily movable shaft passing through said transversely extending underframe members and disposed behind the side sill; of a ratchet wheel fixed to the shaft; and a pawl pivoted to a fixed part of the underframe and adapted to engage the ratchet wheel throughout the range of its bodily movement, said pawl having an extending projection below the said side sill.

11. In a dumping car, the combination with a dump door pivoted along one edge; of a reinforcement for the underside of said door including spaced sections extending lengthwise of the door and a. section extending transversely of the door adjacent the free edge thereof and uniting the said longitudinal sections; brackets disposed at the junction of said longitudinal sections and said transverse section, each said bracket having a. projection extending outwardly therefrom longitudinally of the door; and a shaft disposed below the level of said brackets and adapted to directly engage the same to support the door in closed position.

12. In a dump car, the combination with an underframe; of a door pivoted thereto and having a reinforcing framework including longitudinal beam members and a transverse beam member disposed in parallelism with the free edge of the door; brackets respectively connected to each said longilit) tudinal beam and the transverse beam; a rotatable and bodily moimble door-supporting shaft mounted in the underlranie and adapted to assume a position beneath the door; and flexible connections between the shalt and each of said. brackets on the door.

1? In arailway car, the combination with an under-frame; of a door pivoted thereto, said door having a reinforcii'ig framework formed of an angle bar section presenting a plurality of spaced, longitudinally extending portions aind also a portion extending transversely of the door adjacent the free edge thereof; brackets disposed at the junction of the transversely extending portion and the corresponding longitudinal portion; a bodily movable shaft mounted in the underframe and adapted to engage said brackets to maintain the door in closed posit-ion; and flexible connection between the shaft and the door.

14:. In a dumping car, the combination with a dump door pivoted along one edge; of a reinforcement for the underside of the said door including a brace presenting sections extending lengthwise of the door and a section extending transversely of the door adjacent the free edge thereof; a bracket disposed at the junction of each said longitudinal section and the transverse section; and a shaft movable from a position beneath the door.

1?. In a dump car, the combination with an underframe; of a drop door having reinforcing fran'iework comprising, longitudinal beam members and a transverse beam member extending substantially in parallelism with the free edge of the door; brackets each provided with longitudinally and transversely extending flanges secured to the respective longitudinal and transverse beam members and disposed on the outer sides thereof; a rotatable shaft supported in the rmderframe; and a flexible connection between the said shaft and the door 16. lo a dun'ij'iing car, the combination with a dump door pivoted along;- one edge: of a reinforcement for the underside of said door comprising spaced sections ei-zleiub nip; lei'ug'l'l'iwise of the door and a ac tion eXtendion lransversely of the door adjacent the free edge thereof; brackets disposed near each end of the transverse section and each having angularly disposed flanges connected to the respective longitudinal and transverse sections; a flexible element attached at one end to said door; and a rotatable shaft to which the other end of said flexible connection is attached, said shaft mending pa allel to the free edge of the door and bodily movable to a position beneath the free edge of the door and into engage-- ment with said brackets.

17. In a dump car, the combination with an under-frame; of a drop door hinged to said uiulertraine, said. door having a rein il'orcing framework composed of lougi-- tuoinally arranged beam .l'llfillllJGl'S. and a transverse beam member united to said lougitudinal members; brackets, each formed with longitudinally and transversely e);- tcl'uling flanges and located at the junction of one of said longitudinal beam members and the transverse beam member, each of said brackets being; provided with a serrated surface; an operating shaft arranged for rotation and also bodily movement to a position beneath the door; a flexible connection from said shaft to the door; anc duplicated means rigid with said shaft and each provided with a serrated surface adapted to co-operate with the correspond ing serrated surface of a bracket.

18. in a dump car, the combination with a pivotally mounted door; of an operating shaft arranged for rotation and bodily movement to a position beneath the door; means, provided with a serrated surface, rigidly uecured to said shaft; a bracket carried by said door, said bracket being providcd with a transversely extending flange and an extension therefrom provided with a serrated surface adapted to co-operate with said first named serrated surface, said bracket being provid d also with a longitudinally arranged flange vith wing extension therefrom; and a flexible connection from said wing extension to said shaft.

19. lln a dump car, the combination with a car underframc; of a drop door having a reinforcing framework thereon, said frameiwirk con'iprising an angle formed with a beam section extending transversely of the door near the free edge thereof, and longituilinally extending sections; a door operating shaft mounted in said underfran'ie and movable in the path of the door when the latter is raised; afievible connection between said shaft and door; a. member having a serrated surface rigidly secured to said shaft; a bracket carried by said door and provided with lransve. sely and longitudinally arranged flanges aihipled to be secured lo said reinforcing; l'ralneworli, the transverse flange of said bracket having an ex;- lcnsion lherc'l'roin, provided with a serrated surface adapted to engage said first named serrated surface, lltl longitudinal flange of the bracket having a wing: extension to which one end of said flexible connection is adapted to be secured.

iln witness that I claim the foregoiinc, l have hereunto subscribed. my name this 10th day of October, 1922.

.iiRGY 1E CAMPBELL.

al itncsses:

UNA C. Giuosnr, ll. lift. DEAMER. 

